William van andes



(No Model.)

' W. VANANDEN,

' CARRIAGE SPRING.' No. 290,502. Patented Dec..18,1883.

which the following is a specification.

\VILLIAM VAN ANDEN, OF NEW YORK, X. Y.

CARRIAGE-SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.

290,502, dated December 18, 883.

Application filed October 5,1883. (K0 model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM VAN Arman, of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carriage-Springs, of

I have in Letters Patent issued to me, dated February 6, 1883, No. 271, 953, described a helical arrangement of previously-doubled steel,

forming a twisted spri ng,with the convolutions a little open, arranged so that the load tends to close the spiral, and to brace or re-enforce it when the spring is loaded to a certain extent. My present invention is based thereon.

I employ two twisted branches or parts ar ranged to extend in opposite directions. Any tendency of thespring to tilt or rock in being deflected isbalanced by the opposite arrangement of the two parts-that is to say, if the defleeting of the spring induces atendency in the arm (which extends out and takes hold-of the side bar) to roll or change its position out of the vertical plane, this tendency is balanced in the present invention by the tendency of, the two twisted parts to thus rock the spring in opposite directions. As the two twisted parts are equal to each other, the tendency to roll in opposite directions is balanced, and the arm which connects to the carriage moves up and down to the required extent, and trans mits the force of the two springs thereto without rolling.

The following is a description of whatI con-' sider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a general rear View of an openbuggy body,w ith my springs attached and ar ranged to be used with what are termed side bars. The clips which connect the springs to the side bars and some portions of the running-gear are represented. The remaining figures show details on alarger scale. Fig. 2 is a corresponding View of a portion. The dotted lines show the carriage-body and the spring depressed, while the outer end of the arm which is attached to the spring remains unchanged in position. In practice it will be understood that any suificient jolt to carry the body down to that extent would also somewhat depress the outer end of the spring by the yielding of the side bar.

(Not shown.)

Fig. 3 is a plan view from below corresponding to Fig. 2. Fig. 4 shows a modification, in which the duplex twisted spring is secured by four bolts. The detachable arm is indicated in dotted lines. This is a VlBW from below.

- Fig. 5 shows another modification. This form is also attached by four bolts, and the lever or detachable arm is similarly indicated by dotted lines. This is a View from above. It is important that the twist be so arranged that the yielding of the spring will cause the convolutions to tighten or be twisted more closely together. Fig. 6 is a rear View, and Fig. 7 a

plan View from below, showing a form of spring in which the arms which go out to take hold of the side-bar clips are in one with the spring, and in which only one twisted portion of the spring is employed on each side of the fastenings, which latter are in the mid-length of the spring. The two twisted springs or parts of spring in this form do not contribute their elasticity each to the same arm, as in the forms of the spring above. Each arm is equipped with only one twisted portion.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where they occur.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A is the body of the carriage. It may be of any ordinary or suitable style. B B are side bars.

G O are levers, of steel or other suitable material. Each is attached at the outer endto a side bar by a clip or shackle, B. Each is attached at the inner end to one of my springs by two bolts, M N. The spring is bent so as to form the holes for these bolts by inclosing suitable tends out in one direction and embraces the bolt K. This secures that part of the spring to the body A. The metal, after extending out and back in the twisted portion 1 1 ex tends out in the other direction and partially embraces the two bolts M and N. It .then forms the doubled and twisted portion J J, and finally extending farther parallel to I, embraces the bolt L, which completes the firm union of the spring with the body A. A depression of the wagon-body A, causes the doubled and twisted portions 1 I, and also the corresponding reversely-twisted portion J J to be twisted more tightly together. The proportions are such that before the body A has been depressed, so as to endanger the integrity of the spring, the twisted parts will have been brought tightly together. In this condition they sustain each other and the body A is stiflly supported. The employment of two twisted parts is important in obtaining a true vibrating movement of each lever G. If the parts I I are employed without the parts J J 2 and sufficiently thickened to endure the strain, there will be a disposition of the arm 0 to roll partially "over with the increased twisting of the spring when it is subjected to severe strain. There isa tendency to such action incident to the straining of any twisted part under such conditions. So, also, if the parts J J are used alone, sufficiently thickened, there will be a disposition to roll the part 0 when the spring is suffieiently strained. These two dispositions to roll are in opposite directions and equal to each other, so there is no rolling of the lever C, but simply a vibrating up and down without any lateral rolling. This is the motion which is required for the proper action in a carriage. WVhen acarriage is much used, the constant straining of the spring tends to impair its strength, or, technically, the life. There is an objection to employing very large quantities of metal on account of the increased Weight thereby given to the wagon. WVith any moderate amounts of metal in the twisted portions, the life of the spring becomes impaired after a few months or years of constant use. When this arrives, all that is necessary with my spring is to take out the bolts M N, remove the spring, and substitute another, retaining the same arm 0 and the same fastening-bolts M N.

I propose to make the springs in suitablygraduated sizes, with their dimensions gaged so that one may be substituted for another with absolute certainty, that the new spring will match to the arm or lever C,previously employed, and that the several bolts M N will fit correctly in their places. It will be seen that although there is torsional strain on the material of the springs in the several convolutions or bends, there is no torsional strain on the points of connection. The part which is confined by the bolts M N is in my spring strained onlybya direct bending force identical with that to which the corresponding parts are subject in an ordinary straight fiat spring. So, also, the other end, the part which extends out and connects to the side bar, is subject to no torsion. At the same timemy construction allows of being applied in the same manner and transmits its force in the same manner as an ordinary straight flat spring, with the ad ditional quality of the increased elasticity due to the metal in the folds, or contortions intermediate between the two ends. I attach much importance to these qualities of my spring, be cause the application of a torsional force to the connection of the spring to the wagonbody, or to any other part, tends to derange the fastenings, and is liable to induce serious mischief, which my invention entirely avoids.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4 there are four bolts, K L M N, required for each duplex spring. The two parts I and 1 which are twisted together in this form of the invention, are not parts of the same original bar of steel, but parts of two separate bars. The portion of each which extends out and is bent around to form the proper holes for the bolts K L are two separate pieces superposed one upon the other. They may be and preferably are welded together at the point where they embrace the bolts M and N.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5 a single-piece of steel forms the whole of the duplex spring. The ends of this piece of steel are welded together, so as to make the bar continuous and uniform. The construction gives unusual unity and strength to all parts. In this, as in the form last described, there are four bolts, K L, attaching the spring to the carriage-body and two bolts, M N, attaching the spring to the arm 0.

The construction shown in Figs. 6 and ,7 is peculiar, in the fact that one piece of steel forms the material for both the doubled and twisted parts, and also of the extensions which correspond to two arms, 0 O, by extending out and taking hold of the clips (not represented) which connect to the side bars. (Not represented.) The doubled and twisted parts corresponding to the parts I I and J J in the preceding figures do not exert their torsional strength each on the same extension or arm connecting with a side bar. One twisted portion serves for one side bar, and the other twisted portion serves in the other or opposite side bar. This form requires but the two bolts which secure it to the body. They are inserted at the bends in the intermediate part between the two twisted portions. I prefer the form shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 8.

Further modifications may be made in the forms and proportions of all the parts. I can provide means for adjusting the inclination, and consequently the tension, of the several springs. I have shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a plate of iron or other suitable material, P, interposed between the spring and the bottom of the body A. Such may be changed at will, supplying another which is more or less wedgeformed, or in which the thick edge is laid in one position or another, so as to vary the inclination at which the spring is held within considerable limits.

I do not confine the invention to the enr ployment of side bars. The springs may be arranged in any manner which will properly connect the body to the running-gear, so as to make the elasticity of the springs properly available.

Although I esteem the invention more particularly applicable to light carriages, I do not confine it thereto; but believe it may, proper- 1y proportioned, be applied with advantage to heavy carriages and railroad-cars.

I claim as my invention- 1. The carriage-spring described, having two doubled and twisted portions twisted in opposite directions, and extended in opposite directions,arranged for joint operation, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The detachable arm 0 and fasteningbolts M N, in combination with the spring I I J J having doubled and twist-ed portions 3d day of October, 1883, in the presence of 0 J;

two subscribing witnesses.

M. VAN AXDEX.

lVitnesses:

\VM. 0. DEY, M. F. BOYLE. 

